
Developers rely on what they know works in order to increase the likelihood of financial success, and graphic violence is becoming more common as it gives games a way to surprise and excite players, since the formulaic gameplay and familiar subject matter aren't likely to. You see these types of protagonists surface again and again in mainstream games, and as the process of producing games becomes more and more costly, the games that feature heroes like these take fewer and fewer risks and become increasingly predictable. If The Last Blockbuster was a personal film about keeping the people’s champion alive, Gamestop: Rise of the Players is a kinetic tapestry about using the people’s champ to send a message: you can never count out Internet fans and great memes.Stealthy assassins. However, it’s unapologetically centered on a gamer/internet indoctrinated audience, and, as a proud member, I had a lot of fun watching it.
#Gamestop power to the people movie#
The movie does suffer from information overload at times. It’s about how the Internet sought to hold corporations’ feet to the fire, and if they got rich doing it, even better. This film is more about a moment of triumph in the stock market and how an online community believed in a stock everyone else counted out. Going into Gamestop: Rise of the Players, it is vital to note this is not a documentary about the company or video games themselves. However, due to the overwhelming amount of information, motivations, and stock jargon, the documentary does miss a few moments of clarity and closure, primarily when discussing the market beyond emojis and the conclusion of some character arcs. Roaring Kitty is a fantastic addition to the narrative and offers some great moments when speaking to Congress on behalf of Gamestop investors. The group of investors connecting through the Internet is displayed in beautiful 8-bit inspired animation.

Jenn’s story of finding Gamestop and her battle with cancer is genuinely moving.

In a film with eight main characters and tons of stock information to digest, a lot can get lost in the shuffle. “…Gamestop proves to be their most lucrative investment. The filmmaker captures the unbridled essence of the Internet in a way gamers and meme-lords will adore. The meme-infused montages of the company’s stock rising are hilarious, stylish, and tailor-made for a Reddit-savvy audience. Writer-director Tulis captures every bit of the chaotic, euphoric energy of the Gamestop boom. GameStop: Power to the Player is instantly engaging and continues its blitzkrieg of content through the closing credits. The stock keeps rising, the memes get danker, and the hedge funds are furious as Internet and stock-market culture collide. Soon these eight people find validation to what their colleagues called “crazy” as Gamestop proves to be their most lucrative investment. Despite ridicule from the investing community, the group finds solace in the Twitch streams of Gamestop and stock enthusiast Keith Gill, aka Roaring Kitty.

Each forges a different path towards the former juggernaut of video games. Jenn, Jeff, Justin, Farris, Rod, Dmitriy, and Joe all bet on Gamestop early. Jonah Tulis’ Gamestop: Rise of the Players chronicles the journey from investing suicide to meme stock and the eventual “French Revolution of Finance,” as our unlikely heroes seek to squad wipe the short-sellers. Despite the vast number of hedge funds betting big on the collapse of a once vibrant gaming store giant, a few unlikely heroes still have faith in the brand that promised: “Power to the players.” Only a few seemingly insane investors hold out for a miracle upswing in the stock. It is 2019, the world is unknowingly on the cusp of a global pandemic, and Gamestop, a mall retailer, is soon to shut its door for good or, so we think.
